8.7

Overview

The 2017 Mazda 3 Sedan has become an instant favorite among small car lovers due to its exceptional driving dynamics along with its mature design.

With a base price of just $17,845, it is undoubted the bestlooking car in its class, specially the hatchback trim. The cockpit of the car offers a gratifying experience to the driver with its strategic ergonomics, fluid primary controls and upscale ornamentation. It may not be the fastest, largest or newest of its kind but it certainly does not compromise with practicality and comfort.

Under the hood of the 2017 Mazda 3 Sedan is a 2-liter 4 cylinder naturally aspirated gas based engine which is complemented by its 6-speed manually shiftable automatic transmission and front wheel drive.

Expert Review

8.7

The 2017 Mazda 3 Sedan has become an instant favorite among small car lovers due to its exceptional driving dynamics along with its mature design.

With a base price of just $17,845, it is undoubted the best looking car in its class, especially the hatchback trim. The cockpit of the car offers a gratifying experience for the driver with its strategic ergonomics, fluid primary controls, and upscale ornamentation. It may not be the fastest, largest or newest of its kind but it certainly does not compromise with practicality and comfort.

Under the hood of 2017 Mazda 3 Sedan is a 2-liter 4 cylinder naturally aspirated gas based engine which is complemented by its 6-speed manually shiftable automatic transmission and front wheel drive.

Features

8.1/10

While the Sport and Touring trims of the sedan get a 2 liter inline-4 cylinder engine generating 155 horsepower at and torque of 150 pound-feet, the Grand Touring trim gets a 2.5 liter inline-4 cylinder engine with an increased horsepower of 184 and torque of 185 pound-feet. The 6-speed manually shiftable automatic transmission is standard in all along with the front wheel drive.

Trims

Sport

Touring

Grand Touring

MSRP (Manual)

$17,845

$20,445

$23,145

MSRP (Automatic)

$18,895

$21,495

$24,195

Features

Smart city brake support

Clear-lens halogen headlights

Remote keyless entry system with "answer back" feature

Tilt & telescopic steering column

60/40 split fold-down rear seat

Cruise control

Advanced blind spot monitoring

Leatherette seats

Body-colored folding, heated power side mirrors with integrated turn signals

Dual-zone automatic climate control system

6-way power adjustable driver's seat with manual lumbar adjustment

Full color active driving display

Bose 9 speakers surround sound system

Bi-LED headlights with auto leveling

Power sliding glass moonroof with one-touch-open feature and interior sunshade

Perforated leather-trimmed sport seats

What we recommend

The Grand Touring trim of the Mazda 3 is more versatile and elegantly shaped. It is blessed with an abundance of equipment which makes it a premium-car. You get 18-inch wheels, power and heated exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, a head-up display, dual-zone automatic weather control and an updated nine-speaker Bose stereo system as standard commodities with the Grand Touring. If you opt for the Premium Equipment package, you get additional benefits like a navigation system, heated steering wheel, and adaptive LED headlights.

Engine

8.9/10

Thanks to Mazda’s innovative Skyactiv powertrain and chassis design, the 2017 Mazda3 is both fun to drive and fuel-efficient. You’ll have to rev the engine high to get the most from its limited power, but the Mazda3’s precise steering, finely honed suspension and strong brakes assure a good time once up to speed. -Kelleybluebook

Engine and Transmission

Even though the Mazda 3 Sport has an impressive throttle response, courtesy of the Skyactiv four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, the low-end torque struggles unlike the contemporary turbocharged engines. The two engines “one common for the Sport and Touring and other for the Grand Touring" are the 2-liter inline-4 cylinder and the 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engines producing a horsepower of 155 and 184 respectively.

As for the torque, it is 150 pound-feet and 185 pound-feet correspondingly. Though both the engines can't be considered to be smooth, they do produce enough linear power and have a good amount of rev, which comes really handy when the torque rises above 3000 rpm.

The 6-speed automatic transmission puts up a strong performance. The sport setting is brilliantly tuned for maximum attack. If you chose to change gears manually, you can feel the smoothness of the low-effort shifter, the precisely placed pedals for toe-heel shifting and continuous clutch take-up.

Models

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla(SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

MSRP

$18,095

$19,300

$20,445

$18,150

Engine

2.0 L 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

2.0 L 4-Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

1.8 L 4-Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

2.0 L 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

Transmission

6-Speed Automatic Transmission

6-Speed Automatic Transmission

CVT

6-Speed Automatic Transmission

Power

155 hp

147 hp

132 hp

147 hp

Torque

150 lb-ft

132 lb-ft.

128 lb-ft

132 lb-ft

Drivetrain

Front Wheel Drive

Front Wheel Drive

Front Wheel Drive

Front Wheel Drive

Emerging out as a clear winner among its rivals is the 3 Sedan with its powerful engine with the highest horsepower and torque. It is followed by the Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra sharing a similar horsepower of 147 and torque of 132 pound-feet. The Toyota Corolla falls behind in engine performance with the lowest horsepower of 132 and 128 pound-feet of torque.

Acceleration

Even though the sedan lags behind in the low-end torque, the engine and transmission work together perfectly without any misfiring or unnecessary throttle to display an impressive acceleration.

Models

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

0-60 MPH

7.1 sec

8.7 sec

8.5 sec

8.1 sec

Quarter mile

15.6 sec

16.5 sec

15.5 sec

16.8 sec

Engine

2.0 L 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

2.0 L 4-Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

1.8 L 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

2.0 L 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated

Once again, leading the table is the 3 Sport with the fastest 0 to 60 mph acceleration in just 7.1 seconds, much ahead of any of its rivals. The Hyundai Elantra finishes second with a timing of 8.1 seconds and right after it is the Toyota Corolla with 8.5 seconds, in spite of its least powerful engine. The Kia Forte turns out to be the slowest accelerating among the four with 8.7 seconds.

However, surprisingly enough, the Toyota leaves everybody behind in course of a quarter mile, covering the distance in 15.5 seconds, a millisecond faster than the Mazda which does it in 15.6 seconds. Kia compensates for its slow initial acceleration by finishing third in a quarter mile with 16.5 seconds. And lastly, the second fastest Hyundai slows down over the quarter mile and manages to reach the end in 16.8 seconds.

Handling and Steering

The notably light controls and road movements of the Mazda makes it responsive and playful. The ride quality is decent and the grip levels are firm. It can be a little uneven on rough pavements but that doesn't affect the overall goodness of the car. The steering quality is quite impressive with its on-center precision, the actual road feel and quick responsiveness during cornering.

Braking

With 11.02-inch front brake discs and 10.43-inch rear brake discs, it offers a biting stopping experience, it's easy to modulate and you can freely push the chassis harder without any worry.

Model

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

Brake Front(in)

11.02

11

10.8

11

Brake Rear(in)

10.43

10.3

10.2

8.0

Curb weight(lbs)

2967

2804 lbs.

2885 lbs.

2812

60-0 MPH (ft.)

127ft

127ft

126 ft

116 feet

The Hyundai Elantra wins the stopping race by bringing the car to halt from 60 mph within 116 feet. Mazda and the Kia Forte share an equal distance of 127 feet, the slowest among the rivals while the Toyota manages to do a foot faster than the former two. The heavy curb weight of the Mazda does play a significant role in it.

Fuel Economy

9.1/10

Fuel efficiency always plays a vital role when choosing a compact class car and the Sport does just fine in ensuring its prospective buyers with an admirable on-road EPA estimate. For maximum efficiency, you can go for the i-ELOOP package for the 2.5-liter engine which adds a double-layer capacitor, grille shutters and a variable-voltage alternator which enables regenerative braking and lightens the electrical load of the engine, which makes it really efficient in stop-and-go traffic.

Model

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

MPG (city)

28

29

28

29

MPG (highway)

37

38

35

38

MPG (combined)

32

32

31

33

All the four cars have impressive fuel economy rates with minimal differences. In cities, the Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra have the highest 29 mpg while the Toyota Corolla and the Mazda share 28 mpg. In highways again, the Kia and the Hyundai maintain the first position with an equal 38 mpg followed by the 3 Sport with 37 next and then the Toyota with 35 mpg. And as for the combined rates, the Hyundai emerges out as a winner with the highest 33 mpg. Sharing the second place are the Mazda and the Kia with 32 mpg while Toyota falls behind with 31 mpg. Clearly, the Hyundai outruns everyone in the group.

Interior

8.0/10

Previously criticized for looking a bit tacked-on, the Mazda 3's center console screen gets a new housing this year that helps it look slightly better integrated into the dashboard. The screen itself is operated with a BMW/Audi-esque center console knob that makes commands extremely simple and quick. But if you don't like the knob, the crisp 7-inch center display is also a touchscreen, which makes it ideal for either preference. Few systems in the compact car class are as likable. -edmunds

Seating and comfort

Being a driver-centric car, the Mazda 3 compromises the rear seat spaciousness for a broader front-seat environment. It's accessible through comparatively smaller doors and has a congested legroom.

Model

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

Passenger capacity

5

5

5

5

Passenger Volume(ft cube) w/ sunroof

96.3

95

97.1

95.8

Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg)

(In.)

38.6/57.2/42.2

39.1/56.1/42.2

38.0/54.8/42.3

38.8/56.2/42.2

Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg)

(In.)

37.6/54.4/35.8

37.3/54.9/35.9

37.1/54.8/41.4

37.3/55.3/35.7

All the four rivals have an equal passenger capacity of 5. In terms of passenger volume including the sunroof, the Toyota is the most spacious with 97.1 cubic feet of space. Next up is the 3 Sport with 96.3 cubic feet, followed by the Hyundai and the Kia with 95.8 cubic feet and 95 cubic feet respectively.

For the front seat driver and passenger, the Kia has the most headroom space and share an equal legroom with the Hyundai and Mazda. Though the Toyota has the least headroom, it compensates with a larger legroom, just by an inch.

As for the rear seat passengers, Mazda has the most headroom and the Toyota comes last in that aspect. Yet again, the Toyota manages to come up with the largest legroom for the passengers leaving behind the other three by a great margin, the Hyundai being the last.

Interior Features

Tilt-telescopic electric power steering with audio and cruise controls

4 way manually adjustable passenger seats

Split folding rear seatback

External temperature display

1-touch power windows

Trip computer

Rear view camera

Interior air filtration and rear ventilation ducts

Infotainment System

It features the Mazda Connect infotainment system which is easy to manage because of its high intuitiveness. It comes with a standard 7-inch touchscreen display and is controlled by a central rotary console. There are additional selector buttons on the steering wheel as well.

6 total speakers

USB connection

Auxiliary audio input

AM/FM radio

Bluetooth audio and phone

Voice command

Cargo Volume

The 3 Sport in spite of being quite spacious somehow manages to lag behind in cargo area. It can handle light luggage for weekend getaways but it hampers its practicality by a fraction.

Model

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

Volume (ft cube)

12.4

14.9

13.0

14.4

The Kia Forte tops the list with the maximum cargo storage capacity of 14.9 cubic feet. The Hyundai comes next with 14.4 cubic feet, and then the Toyota with 13 cubic feet of volume. Quite evidently as mentioned earlier, the Mazda has the least cargo volume of 12.4 cubic feet.

Exterior

8.9/10

Put simply, the 2017 Mazda 3 is an attractive car at an attractive price. -thecarconnection

Dimensions and Weight

The entire lineup of the Mazda 3 is handsome with the added sharpness to its athletic lines with beautifully balanced aesthetics for a greater presence on streets than other cars. The dimensions are not too small or not too big, keeping it a middle segment compact car.

Model

Mazda Mazda3 Sport

Kia Forte (S)

Toyota Corolla (SE)

Hyundai Elantra (SE)

Curb weight(lbs)

2967

2804

2885

2812

Length(in)

180.3

179.5

183.1

179.9

Width(in)

70.7

70.1

69.9

70.9

Height(in)

57.3

56.3

57.3

56.5

Ground clearance(in)

6.1

5.3

6.7

5.3

Wheelbase(in)

106.3

106.3

106.3

106.3

Track width(in) F/R

61.2/61.4

61.3/61.7

59.8/59.9

61.5/61.9

As mentioned earlier, the sedan is the heaviest of them all and tallest like the Toyota Corolla, which is the longest, least wide and has the highest ground clearance. All of them share the same wheelbase. The Kia and the Hyundai end up with balanced figures.

Competition

Kia Forte vs Mazda 3

The Kia Forte is more than just a budget car and it offers a lot of features at this decent price tag. The 2L naturally aspirated engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, and front wheel driver are similar to the Mazda 3. More similarities with the Mazda are its braking although it is less powerful than its rival and has a slower acceleration rate as well; it does have an impressive fuel economy rate. The upcoming models are speculated to be better in these aspects.

Toyota Corolla vs Mazda 3

The Toyota Corolla doesn't disappoint you with its features unlike the absence of a thrilling performance. The 1.8L inline 4-cylinder engine and the 6-speed CVT transmission drive the front wheel based car. It has two options for its infotainment system a 6-inch and a 7.1-inch touch screen along with other modern technologies like adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane-keeping assist and automated emergency braking. When compared to the 3 sedan, it lacks in engine performance, acceleration, and fuel efficiency, making it a less-stronger rival.

Hyundai Elantra vs Mazda 3

Improving after each generation, the Hyundai Elantra makes the best car for its price and reputation. It is similar to the Mazda 3 with a 2L inline-4 engine, 6-speed automatic transmission and front wheel drive. It is the toughest contender to the Mazda with excellent braking and fuel efficiency although it does fall behind in engine performance and acceleration. It has spacious interiors and cargo space as well.

Final Verdict

The 2017 Mazda 3 Sedan can be considered to be the best deal for a compact car coupled with performance and styling. When compared to its rivals, it outperforms all of them and thus, at this price, Mazda 3 Sedan is a clear choice for us.